Fun & Relaxing at the Széchenyi thermal bath in Budapest

Budapest, Hungary, is well known for its thermal waters, so after a bit of research, I opted to visit the highly rated Széchenyi thermal bath. It is in the City Park area and is pretty easy to get to. After 6 weeks on the rails, we were due a day of relaxation, and Széchenyi fit the bill for us.

Disclosure! Keep in mind that some links in these posts are affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m extremely grateful) at no extra cost to you. Thanks for visiting!

In addition to the relaxation benefits, the building’s Neo-Baroque architecture was a big draw.

You can buy tickets on the day if there is availability, although Széchenyi recommends booking in advance. Online tickets are given priority if the baths reach capacity. The GetYourGuide website also has ticket options.

About Széchenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest

The Széchenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest is one of the largest spa complexes in Europe. The original bath opened in 1913, and the complex was expanded in 1927. It has indoor and outdoor pools, saunas and steam rooms. The thermal water comes from Saint Stephen Well No. II.

The bath is in a Neo-Baroque style, which is rather pleasing to the eye; its colours are mainly pale yellow and white. In its first year, over 200,000 people visited the spa. Since then, its numbers have increased to 890,507 by 1919. In 1927, the complex was enlarged to its current size.

There are three outdoor pools. The swimming pool is 26–28°C, the leisure pool is 32–34°C and the thermal pool is 36–38°C. The indoor pools vary more, with plunge pools at 18°C and some thermal pools reaching 40°C. The complex also has saunas and steam rooms.

Health Benefits of Thermal Baths

The main benefit I wanted was to relax after several weeks of travelling. The thermal water contains calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sodium and sulphate, as well as fluoride and metaboric acid.

Széchenyi describes the water as medicinal and notes its use in the treatment of certain joint conditions and in orthopaedic rehabilitation. I wasn’t there for medical treatment, but I certainly felt less achy and more relaxed afterwards.

How To Get Here?

The best way I found is to catch the underground, as it’s quick. You need to get off the train at Széchenyi fürdő on the M1 line. You can catch a variety of buses or even walk from parts of Budapest. The baths are easy to spot when you arrive because of their domes and distinctive colour.

What to Take With You?

Take swimwear, a towel and slippers or flip-flops. Slippers are compulsory around the baths. Towels, slippers, and swimming caps are not included with a standard ticket, and rental is not available, although you can buy them at the on-site shop. You only need a swimming cap if you plan to use the 50-metre lap pool.

Just a warning: the largest slippers in the shop were not big enough for my size 13 feet, so I ended up finding some at Sports Direct near Keleti Train Station.

One important change since our visits is that children under 14 are no longer allowed into Széchenyi Bath, including the outdoor pools. This rule has applied since August 2025, with an exception for children holding an approved specialist medical certificate.

You might want to take your toiletries and cosmetics with you for a post-spa shower and get ready for the rest of the day.

What To Expect?

I went for an afternoon on a cloudy October day and found it an enjoyable experience. As a bonus, the autumn colours outside and in City Park were splendid. On a subsequent trip, it was winter, and there was snow on the floor, which was a unique experience, especially between pools.

Entrance and Formalities

The entrance is on the side of the park, and you enter through an ornate doorway with statues. The reception hall is a beautiful room, and it’s well worth a look at the details. This hall contains a reception desk where you pay for entry and purchase extras like massages. The spa shop is located here too, which is handy for anything you didn’t bring along. Once you have paid up, you get a wristband and are directed to the changing rooms downstairs.

Changing Facilities

The changing rooms were quite expansive, with plenty of lockers, showers, and toilets. I spent a little time there, as I wanted to get to the pools and take photographs before locking my camera away.

On entry, they gave you a wristband; this acts as a key to your locker. You use this to lock up your clothes and other items. When you return to your locker, only your wristband can reopen it. From the changing rooms, you go back up the stairs and enter the pool area.

Outdoor Pools

There are three distinct parts of the outdoor baths: a lovely warm pool with seating around at the near end. There is a long swimming pool with lanes. For refreshments, there is a bar where you can buy a drink to sit on the seating around the pools. The baths have a dedicated smoking area outside, away from the water.

To get into the pools, remove your slippers and walk through the outer water onto the steps. The pool was warm, and it was enjoyable to have a mooch around, especially with the outside temperature at about 16°C.

The leisure pool has a water-jet massage, which was therapeutic, especially for shoulder tension. The water jet is quite forceful, and people tend to walk backwards into it. I used these a few times and felt good for it after our epic adventure thus far.

The leisure pool also has a whirlpool section where the current takes you round in a circle. There is seating around this end of the pool, and it seemed to be one of the livelier parts of the outdoor area.

Sauna

I love saunas and steam rooms and thoroughly enjoyed the sauna here. The one we went in was long and had a decent temperature. There was also an ice machine outside, which was handy for my wife to hold on her broken foot.

Indoor Pools

There were lots of pools inside of varying sizes and temperatures. These were nice to have a dip while exploring the inside. Personally, I preferred the outdoor pools, but in the winter my mind would probably change.

Beer Spa

Since our first visit to Prague, my wife has been wanting a beer spa and spotted one here. So we went on a mission to find it and have fun. I expected to be sitting chest-deep in beer; however, I was wrong. The setup was a hot bath to sit in with beer added to the water.

The beer spa extra included unlimited refills of beer from the tap next to where you sit. We both necked back a few. The beer, combined with the heat, meant feeling tipsy more quickly than usual. There were 4 baths in the room, each with a different customer.

When is the best time to visit?

There is no best time; Széchenyi Thermal Bath is always nice. However, if you want it quieter, Google Maps has a great resource for checking how busy it is at certain times of day. We have visited in both winter and autumn; both were lovely, and the water was warm.

During our winter trip, the snow on the ground added an extra dimension. Hot and cold make a brilliant combination.

Sunset is a spectacular part of the day, and watching it while in the thermal baths is a real treat. The architecture and serenity certainly add to the sunset.

Is It Worth Visiting?

I went to recharge the body and mind, and the Széchenyi thermal bath delivered. I felt completely recharged and clean on departure. Some of my niggles were not aching as much. We will definitely be back or try one of the other famous baths in the city.